Machine and method for forming inter-sheet registering contours in metal blanks for separation

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for making one or more registering contour features in a workpiece. At least some of the registering contour features have an outer annular rim and basin-shaped portion there within. One embodiment has: (i) one or more first tools, each tool being adapted to form the outer annular rim in one or more registering contour features; and (ii) one or more second tools for forming in cooperation with the first set of insert tools one or more of the basin-shaped portions that lie within the outer annular rims, thereby forming a set of one or more registering contour features in the workpiece so that workpieces in a stack are separated to facilitate subsequent handling by removing an uppermost workpiece from the stack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

This disclosure relates to a machine for forming registering contourfeatures by displacing material in, and a method for separatingworkpieces so that they do not adhere to each other in a manufacturingprocess.

Relatedly, the present disclosure involves a prescribed topography forthose registering contour features in a predictable location adjacent aperipheral or other edge to facilitate separation of the workpiecesafter they are stacked.

(2) Description of Related Art

In the metal fabricating industry, workpieces sometimes known as“blanks” are often provided in sheet, shaped or coil-form. Often, a typeof lubricant, preservative or oil is added to the workpieces or coils(collectively, “workpieces”) so that they do not corrode. Such fluidsmay cause stacked workpieces to stick together when arranged in astacked formation like a deck of cards.

One way to separate the workpieces so that they do not adhere to eachother or stack unevenly from side-to-side is to provide an air gapbetween them by introducing a spacer. In the case of ferrous materials,a magnet may be used to separate the workpieces.

Generally, after a metal workpiece has been cut from a coil or a largerblank to make a workpiece, the resulting materials are stacked on top ofeach other for storage, transportation, or further processing. When themetal workpieces are stacked, there is little or no separation betweenthem. Often the only matter that lies between adjacent sheets is a filmof lubricant or preservative. As a result, it may be hard to separatethe workpieces because they may tend to stick together, particularlyunder the weight of workpieces lying in a stacked column there above.

Adhesion between workpieces complicates or prohibits the task ofremoving a single workpiece (which may or may not be planar) bynon-destructively inserting a separating tool to raise an uppermostworkpiece from the top of a column of stacked workpieces or anintermediate workpiece.

Among the art considered before filing this application are: U.S. Pat.Nos. 7,034,683; 8,322,955; 8,766,797; 9,346,094; 9,623,470;2010/0017347; 2011/0227725; 2016/0279687

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it would be useful to have a way to stack workpieces sothat the uppermost workpieces can be readily removed from a column ofsuch workpieces without adding external, possibly contaminatingsubstances, such as talcum powder or its equivalents. To do this, itwould be helpful to have a machine that forms cooperating registeringcontour features in adjacent workpieces. When stacked with such contourfeatures, most of the surface areas of adjacent workpieces are at leastpartially separated by an interstitial space that is punctuated only bythose limited areas of contact between the cooperating contour features,such as one or more annular rims with rims close to the edges ofadjacent workpieces.

An exemplary embodiment of cooperating registering contour features at apredetermined location in a workpiece for inter-workpiece separation hasa concave basin-shaped section within an outside annular rim. Inside theouter rim, the basin-shaped section extends downwardly within the outerrim. Thus, the present disclosure relates to a machine and method forforming registering contour features for inter-workpiece separation inworkpieces. More specifically, the registering contour features areoptionally but not necessarily placed adjacent to a peripheral or otheredge of a workpiece. Alternatively, the registering contour features maybe placed elsewhere in a workpiece so that the registering contourfeatures in adjacent workpieces cooperate or register to enforce aseparation between most of the surface areas between adjacentworkpieces.

In practice, the disclosed process and its variants enable an operatorto form a registering contour feature predictably and precisely at thesame location in each workpiece before the workpieces are stacked andthus create an air gap or space between inter-contour feature regionswithin each workpiece of adjacent workpieces. Optionally, the disclosedprocess and its variants provide a way to create such contour featuresbefore the workpiece is cut from a coil or larger workpiece. In skilledart of making formed parts from a coil, present practices favor formingto be done before or during cutting. Thus, in most cases, an edge areathat includes registering contour features is typically cut from theworkpiece after the registering contour features are formed and before asubsequent manufacturing step.

It will be appreciated that the disclosed registering contour featuresneed not have a circular footprint. Optional embodiments also involvedisplacing material and may be elliptical, oval, race-track in shape orhave curved or angular (e.g., hexagonal or polygonal) perimeters.

One characteristic that the various footprints share is that they areformed by upward or downward flow of material (or both), preferably in aforming or coining step.

In a given workpiece, the intermediate region lies between theregistering contour features of that sheet. When stacked, a gap iscreated between such regions of adjacent workpieces. The gap separatesthem so that the uppermost workpiece can be removed, slid, lifted orotherwise displaced if desired non-destructively and not be caused toadhere by a lubricant or other material between the workpieces.

In some applications, a workpiece may have one section that has athickness that differs from the thickness of a neighboring section. Forsuch cases, registering contour features may be deployed to promotestacking efficiency.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a quartering perspective view of an apparatus including apress with a lower die and an upper die in accordance with oneembodiment and practice variant.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus in an open position with anannular rim-shaped outer contour feature forming tool and abutton-shaped inner contour feature forming tool.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged portion (A) of FIG. 2 that illustrates theannular rim-shaped outer forming tool and the button-shaped innerforming tool in more detail.

FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus in a position where an outer annularrim and crater are formed.

FIG. 3A is a view of a workpiece;

FIG. 4 illustrates the apparatus in a position where an inner annularrim is formed, at which point in the movement or travel of the press,all forming of the localizing contour feature is complete.

FIG. 4A is a view of the resulting workpiece.

FIG. 5 illustrates the apparatus in a closed position.

FIG. 5A is a view of the resulting workpiece.

FIG. 6 is a representative top view of a registering contour featuremade with the disclosed apparatus.

FIG. 7 shows sectional views of stacked workpieces and registeringcontour features.

FIG. 8 shows sectional views of intermediate regions between registeringcontour features of adjacent workpieces in partial registration witheach other to enforce a spacing between the intermediate regions ofadjacent workpieces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in variousand alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; somefeatures may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particularcomponents. Therefore, specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as arepresentative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variouslyemploy the present invention.

FIGS. 1-5 show an overall apparatus and exemplary parts of an embodimentof the forming apparatus. In summary, those parts include a press withlower and upper die sets;

Parts List ITEM NAME 1 Upper Die Set 2 Upper Cutting Tool 4 LargeForming Tool 6 Workpiece 8 Lower Die Set 9 Shim for Large Male Tool 11Stripper 12 Small Forming Tool 13 Jam Nut 14 Shim 15 Spacer 17Pressurized Cylinder 19 Lower Cutting Tool

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate various aspects of a contour feature arrangement 20(top elevation view, FIG. 6) in a workpiece 6 and in stacked workpieces(FIGS. 7-8) for inter-workpiece spacing. In FIG. 7 the vertical crosssections of a nest of three workpieces 6 are shown, in which theregistering contour features 30 of adjacent workpieces 6 are stacked ontop of each other. A rim 34 in the registering contour feature 30 of oneworkpiece 6 underlies the rim of a registering contour feature in theworkpiece positioned there above. Similarly, a concave, basin-shapedsection 40 of one workpiece 6 underlies the corresponding concavesection of a workpiece positioned there above. There is an interstitialspace 46 between the rims 34 of adjacent workpieces. Optionally, otherinterstitial spaces 48 separate the concave sections 40 of adjacentworkpieces. In a given workpiece, an inter-workpiece contact area 32 isformed between a rim 34 and the concave section 40. In a stack of two ormore workpieces 6, the contact areas 32 abut.

In the cross sections of the embodiment depicted, there are twoshoulders 34 that are connected by an annular rim 50 for eachregistering contour feature 30 and one concave, basin-shaped section 40.Other embodiments may have more rims with rounded valleys therebetween.Like the rims 50, the concave basin-shaped sections 40 are positioned sothat concave sections of adjacent workpieces preferably are separated bythe space 48 (FIG. 7). As a result, FIG. 8 shows exemplary gaps 36 orinterstitial spaces lying between the workpieces 6 and between sets ofregistering contour features in a given workpiece. In practice, suchgaps or interstitial spaces may be lessened or closed by the sagging ofintermediate regions between registering contour features associatedwith stacked workpieces.

The air gaps 36 separate the workpieces 6 so that they can be removedfrom a stack one at a time and not adhere due to a fluid filmtherebetween. One set of experiments measured typical dimensions betweenworkpieces 6 (FIGS. 7-8).

Consider the upper die 1 and the lower die 8 in an open position beforeone of the workpieces 6 (FIG. 2A) is loaded, i.e. inserted therebetween.An outer annular rim-forming tool 4 is supported by the upper die 1. Thelower die 8 supports an inner basin-forming tool (having an optionalshape like a button) 12. If desired, these tools could be placed on theopposing die or upside down so that the upper die 1 may support thebutton tool and the lower die 8 may support the tool that forms theannular rim.

It will be appreciated that a given die set may support multiple tools4, 12 so that multiple registering contour features may be formed on agiven workpiece or workpieces 6 by one closure (or multiple closures) ofthe dies. Optionally, the process may operate in more than one place ofa workpiece or on more than one workpiece at a time, subject to thedesign of the cutting die. In practice, one closure may operate onmultiple workpieces simultaneously within the die, although oneworkpiece at a time is preferred.

As to the inner basin-shaped section 40, in FIGS. 3-4, the upper andlower dies 1, 8 are in the stroke position. The small male insert 12enters the large insert 4 to form a registering contour feature shape30. The spacer or jam nut 15 is now in contact with the bottom of thestripper 11 to control how deeply to make a small basin-shaped recessthat forms a part of the registering contour feature. The small insert12 is threaded into the jam nut 13 and the spacer 15. The height of thesmall recess can be adjusted by adding or removing the thickness of thesmall shim 14. It will be appreciated that the die still has to closemore to cut the material with cutting tools 2, 19 as the registeringcontour feature is completely formed before the workpiece is cut.

Turning now to FIG. 5, the die is at the bottom of the press stroke. Thestop block contacts the upper die 1, thereby arresting its downwardtravel. Preferably, the workpiece 6 is now trimmed with the registeringcontour feature close to an edge of the workpiece. As used herein, theterm “edge” connotes an outer peripheral edge, or an edge of an innerhole (for example, in the case of an automobile body having multipleholes cut for doors).

Desirably, registering contour features 30 of adjacent metal workpieces6 are aligned (see, FIGS. 6-7). After workpieces 6 are stacked, adjacentworkpieces are separated by sets of registering contour features 30because contacting portions 32 of the rim portions 34 of adjacentworkpieces abut. Thus, an air gap 36 is created between the workpiecesand between side portions 38 of the vertically aligned sets ofregistering contour features 30. This facilitates material handlingbecause lateral access to interstitial spaces is now available.

As mentioned earlier, the apparatus includes one or more sets of toolsfor forming the registering contour features 30. Such tools may beselected to make registering contour features 30 with a topography thatincludes undulations, indentations, depressions, impressions,projections and the like in the workpiece. As noted earlier, one or moresets of registering contour feature forming tools can be located on theupper or lower dies (FIGS. 1, 2, 2A) or on both.

Thus, there has been disclosed a metal processing apparatus for formingone or more sets of registering contour features 30 in a workpiece 6that may be made of a ferrous material, or a non-ferrous material suchas a carbon-reinforced section or a plastic.

In one embodiment, the registering contour features 30 may be formed bynested basin-shaped portions 40 (concave sections) that have radii ofcurvature (FIG. 7) such that spaces are formed between the shoulderportions 34 of the registering contour features of adjacent workpieces.Similarly, for basin-shaped portions 40. (FIG. 7).

It will be appreciated that using suitable process parameters (e.g.,strain rates, temperatures, tool dimensions and pressures) theregistering contour features can be pressed into the workpiece withoutweakening the workpieces themselves.

As noted earlier, the registering contour features can be characterizedin a workpiece of a given thickness and material by a footprint having aheight and diameter. The footprint can preferably be circular, oval, orelliptical. An indentation with a curved perimeter is generally desiredover other geometries (e.g., a square, rectangle, a polygon) that haveabrupt changes in perimetral edges. Usually, the footprint has a rim 34(like the edge of a volcano) that lies above a crater or concave sectionor basin 40 (female portion), which may have another dome that risesthere from.

With further references to FIGS. 7-8, an exemplary array of stackedworkpieces 6 includes one or more workpieces in the stack having aplanar section 44 and one or more registering contour features 30extending from the planar portion. One or more of the registeringcontour features in a first workpiece has an outer annular rim 34 and aninner concave section 40 that lies within the annular rim. The outerannular rim 34 of the registering contour feature 30 of the firstworkpiece 6 cooperates with the outer annular rim in a registeringcontour feature of an adjacent workpiece. The inner concave section 40in a registering contour feature of the first workpiece 6 cooperateswith the inner concave section in a registering contour feature of anadjacent workpiece. As a result, a space 48 lies between planar portionsof adjacent workpieces. Correspondingly, a space 46 may also lie betweenthe shoulder portions 34 in a registering contour feature of the firstworkpiece and the shoulder portions in a registering contour feature ofan adjacent workpiece.

In an alternative embodiment (see, FIG. 7) the planar section 44 of oneor more workpieces in the stack has a central plane that defines animaginary datum plane (R-R). A top of the rim 34 lies above theimaginary datum plane and the inner concave section 40 has a lowermostportion that lies below the datum plane.

While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended thatthese embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather,the words used in the specification are words of description rather thanlimitation, and it is understood that various changes may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may becombined to form further embodiments of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for making one or more registeringcontour features in a workpiece at the same location in each workpieceto enable a stack of such workpieces to be separated, each registeringcontour feature having an annular rim and a basin-shaped portion lyingthere within, the apparatus comprising: (i) an upper tool adapted toform the annular rim in one or more registering contour features; and(ii) a lower tool for forming in cooperation with the upper tool aninner basin-shaped portion that lies within the annular rim, therebyforming a set of one or more registering contour features in theworkpiece, whereby the registering contour features of adjacentworkpieces in a stack provide an inter-workpiece separation ofintermediate sections of the workpieces that lie between the registeringcontour features, wherein the registering contour features are formedprior to the bottom of a press stroke and/or prior to a cutting of theworkpiece to remove regions thereof that include the registering contourfeatures.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper tool is afemale tool.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the lower tool is amale tool.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein one or more of the maletools include rounded leading ends.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe female tool includes the basin-shaped portion.
 6. An apparatus formaking one or more registering contour features in a workpiece at thesame location in each workpiece to enable a stack of such workpieces tobe separated, each registering contour feature having an annular rim anda basin-shaped portion lying there within, the apparatus comprising: (i)a lower tool adapted to form the annular rim in one or more registeringcontour features; and (ii) an upper tool for forming in cooperation withthe lower tool the inner basin-shaped portion that lies within theannular rim, thereby forming a set of one or more registering contourfeatures in the workpiece, whereby the registering contour features ofadjacent workpieces in a stack provide an inter-workpiece separation ofintermediate sections of the workpieces that lie between the registeringcontour features, wherein the contour features are formed prior to thebottom of a press stroke and/or prior to a cutting of the workpiece toremove regions thereof that include the registering contour features. 7.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece comprises a materialthat can receive and resist a closure pressure non-destructively as theupper and lower dies converge without imparting damage to the workpiece.8. An array of stacked workpieces, one or more workpieces in the stackhaving an intermediate planar portion and one or more registeringcontour features extending from the intermediate planar portion, one ormore of the registering contour features in a first workpiece having anouter annular rim; and a basin-shaped portion that lies within theannular rim.
 9. The array of claim 8, wherein the outer annular rim ofthe registering contour feature of the first workpiece at leastpartially cooperate with the outer annular rim in a registering contourfeature of an adjacent workpiece.
 10. The array of claim 8, wherein thebasin-shaped portion in a registering contour feature of the firstworkpiece is spaced apart from the basin-shaped portion in a registeringcontour feature of an adjacent workpiece.
 11. The array of claim 8,further including a space between planar portions of adjacentworkpieces.
 12. The array of claim 8, wherein a space lies between theouter annular rim of the registering contour feature of the firstworkpiece and the outer annular rim in a registering contour feature ofan adjacent workpiece.
 13. The array of claim 8, in which the planarsection of one or more workpieces in the stack has an imaginary datumplane, a top of the rim of the outer annular rim lying above theimaginary datum plane and the basin-shaped portion has a lowermostportion that lies below the datum plane.
 14. A method for making aregistering contour feature in a workpiece comprising the steps of (A)providing: (i) one or more upper tools, each upper tool being adapted toform an outer annular rim in one or more registering contour features;and (ii) one or more lower tools for forming in cooperation with theupper tool a basin-shaped portion to lie within an outer annular rim,thereby forming a set of one or more registering contour features in theworkpiece; (B) inserting a workpiece between the die sets; (C) closingthe die sets so that they form a localized contour feature in theworkpiece; (i) prior to the die being completely closed; and/or (ii)prior to any cutting of the workpiece; (D) opening the die sets; and (E)withdrawing the workpiece.
 15. A method for making a registering contourfeature in a workpiece comprising the steps of (A) providing: (i) one ormore lower tools, each lower tool being adapted to form an outer annularrim in one or more registering contour features; and (ii) one or moreupper tools for forming in cooperation with the lower tool abasin-shaped portion to lie within an outer annular rim, thereby forminga set of one or more registering contour features in the workpiece; (B)inserting a workpiece between the die sets; (C) closing the die sets sothat they form a localized contour feature in the workpiece; (i) priorto the die being completely closed; and/or (ii) prior to any cutting ofthe workpiece. (D) opening the die sets; and (E) withdrawing theworkpiece.